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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28578534">Journey of the Dragon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManlyQuail/pseuds/ManlyQuail'>ManlyQuail</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Million Times, A Million Lives [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Going Out For Drinks, Musician Yang, Piano, Yang plays the piano</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:08:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28578534</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManlyQuail/pseuds/ManlyQuail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Having been offered a ticket to see Yang Xiao Long perform her famous piece "Journey of the Dragon" in person, Blake Belladonna dresses up and attends the concert to listen to a piece that is universally agreed to be as beautiful and strong as the woman who wrote it. However, listening to the piece live, Blake finds herself hearing more than she ever did through a recording, and her curiosity gets the best of her as she finds herself wanting to ask Yang more about her song.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Million Times, A Million Lives [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Journey of the Dragon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Thank you, please enjoy the performance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ticket stub in hand, a girl with waist length jet black hair stepped into the packed auditorium set before a stage of velvety red drawn curtains. It was packed, and hesitating for a second as her eyes scanned across the arena filled with chatter and individuals dressed to the nines, she felt several elbows accidentally bump past her as people made their way to their seats. She herself was dressed in a modest one-shoulder dress that matched the black of her hair and reached far down to her matching black heels, the entire ensemble borrowed from her mother. Tiny sparkling diamond earrings and a thin golden band around her neck completed the look, a look she felt entirely out of place wearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake Belladonna had never attended an event as formal as the one she found herself at. This crowd of high class was far beyond the usual people she interacted with, and it was only through sheer luck that she’d managed to acquire a ticket to the event. From the way her parents had described it they’d bumped into the father of the girl performing while out for drinks, and during their conversation he’d offered them free seats in a combination of goodwill and drunken decisions. While her parents had declined, they had decided to at the very least ask Blake if she’d be interested lest they waste the opportunity, and upon hearing the name of the performer she agreed without hesitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang Xiao Long had been a famous performer in the operatic scene for a short time, but in that time she’d made quite the impression on critics. Unanimously those who critiqued and reviewed her performances agreed that she was one to keep an eye on and would often use the same words to describe her pieces.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Powerful. Inspiring. Confident &amp; Beautiful.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Having only ever heard the performances through recordings or local radio broadcasts, Blake could agree with their reviews, but a part of her also knew the only way to truly experience a piece of music was to hear it live. Yang’s pieces had always carried a distinct sound, and when she was turning through radio stations could always tell if it was Yang performing in an instant. Standing where she was in that moment, she’d never dreamed she’d hear the girl perform live, nonetheless from seating so close to the stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making her way forward, doing her best to avoid bumping any more elbows, Blake nervously stepped in front of several people to get to her seat near the middle of the row. It was close enough to the front she’d no doubt be able to get a good look at Yang when she took the stage, and her heart was beating in a mixture of eagerness and nerves. To her left and right she could already hear several individuals discussing their own excitement, a few even mentioning that they’d seen her live before, and that it far exceeded the sounds of the recordings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the minutes passed the lights of the auditorium began to dim, and Blake’s golden eyes faced the stage as silence washed over the crowd. For a moment, all was dark, all was quiet, when the curtains began to spread with a spotlight on a single gorgeous grand piano front and center perpendicular to the crowd. The sounds of footsteps as a woman in a flowing and sparkling golden dress, matching the fiery blonde locks that flowed down her back, stepped in heels across the stage and took her seat. In the silence, it was possible to hear her take a single breath, before her fingers pressed down hard on the keys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was her most famous piece, titled </span>
  <em>
    <span>Journey of the Dragon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which critics described as a piece telling the incredible life of the woman who’d written it. Describing her dedication to her craft, her fierce passion that could be felt in every note, the tale of how she’d risen to fame in the short time that she had. In essence, this piece was considered by all to be a musical autobiography of Yang Xiao Long herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Blake felt herself consumed by the music, the accompanying opera impressing upon all the power of the piece, she felt as if she was soaring through the clouds, a dragon flying above the world. Her heart rate increased, her eyes shimmering with admiration, and she felt the truth that she’d heard time and time again: that nothing could ever beat hearing her performance live.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she heard it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a single note that changed everything, and Blake felt the story shift dramatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t as if Yang had missed a note, she hadn’t improperly played her piece, nor had any of the accompanying musicians failed to play, but a single note pulled Blake from one tale and into another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As her eyes narrowed, she found herself suddenly viewing Yang in a new light. Her brow furrowed slightly, concern and worry replacing the awe and wonder she’d been feeling, and she found herself left with a single question.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why do you sound so sad?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>For the remainder of the piece, as the crowd around her murmured in pleasure and joy, Blake couldn’t help but struggle with a weight that found itself placed on her chest. From where she sat, she could get a perfect view of the beautiful blonde on the stage, and despite her focused lilac eyes, there was something more in them that bothered her deeply. The music was beautiful, it was a flawless performance, but despite all the reviews and the numerous times she’d heard the song before, something about it this time simply felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the operatic piece boomed, roaring with more and more passion, speeding up to reach a climax, the piece ended with an eruption of sound from all sides. There was a single pause of silence, before a final few light notes were played, and the crowd burst into applause without hesitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While all around her people were standing, clapping as loudly as their hands could manage, Blake found herself still sitting as a single tear rolled across her cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before long the clapping came to a slow, and Blake quickly wiped the tear away to give her own standing ovation as Yang stood to take her bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ladies &amp; Gentlemen, for those seeking a few words with our performer or simply an autograph, you’ll be able to find her just inside the entryway in a few minutes! We hope you’ve enjoyed your time here, and thank you for attending!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>As the applause died down, Yang waved to the audience with a sparkling smile and a few kisses blown into the crowd, and a voice boomed out across an intercom system in the theater. Immediately, with the announcement the show was over, people began to shuffle as the crowd flowed out and into the entryway of the building in eager hopes to get a few words with the performer about her piece.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake found herself suddenly compelled to follow the crowd. More than anything she suddenly found a burning desire to talk to Yang, if even for a moment, to see if her suspicions were correct. Under normal circumstances she’d act as the majority of the audience had, making her way to her car to beat the crowd as quickly as possible, but after what she’d witnessed her curious nature wouldn’t allow her to leave without talking to her at least once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Filing out of the building was slow, with a few people clogging the isles as they stopped to talk about the performance with others, but eventually Blake found herself back in the front of the building where she finally had space to breath. Her eyes scanned the crowd, looking for any sign of where Yang might appear, and managed to spot a small line of people forming in a roped off section of the space. The row of tables at the front of the line was covered in merchandise, but from what she could see at that moment nobody seemed to be buying anything, and instead simply appeared to be waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Deciding this seemed to be the most likely spot Yang would be doing her meet and greet, Blake pressed through the crowd to find herself a place in a rapidly growing line. She was thankful to find that, relatively speaking, she was near the front of the line and would be able to get her question out quickly. Now, there was nothing else to do but wait with everyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Blake waited, the people both in front and behind her eagerly discussing the questions they’d hoped to ask the performer, she kept playing the piece over and over in her mind. She was desperately trying to figure out why the tale she’d imagined dozens of times had so abruptly changed in that moment, and the more she thought about it the more she couldn’t help but feel she’d simply imagined it. It wasn’t as if her week had been particularly bad, best she could tell she wasn’t projecting any of her own feelings onto the piece, so what was it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the question burning more and more as the second ticked by, Blake was thankful when the doors beyond the tables swung open, and with the same sparkling smile she’d worn at the end of her piece Yang stepped out and began to greet her fans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From where she stood Blake could easily make out the questions being asked. For the most part, it was people complimenting her performance, telling them how powerful it felt to them and how impressed they were to see a girl her age with such talent. To each of them she thanked them for their time, signed away a piece of merchandise, and moved on to the next. A few of the questions asked regarded the source of inspiration for the piece, or even where she learned to write nonetheless perform such beautiful music. To each, she merely responded that her family is the biggest source of her inspiration, and that for the most part she’s self taught aside from a few online tutorials here and there. Most laugh it off, assuming she’d simply been hiding the identity of some master instructor, before moving on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she knew it, Blake was suddenly at the front of the line, and extending her hand out politely she shook the hand of the stunning woman before her. Blake found herself caught off guard with her beauty, seeing her this close and personal let her truly admire the gorgeous features that the dress Yang wore accented nicely, and for a moment she couldn’t even remember what her question was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi there! Thanks so much for coming, is there a name I can sign this off to?” Still smiling her pristine smile, Yang had mechanically pulled a shirt before her that had the first and last pages of the sheet music printed on the front and back respectively, and marker in hand was prepared to autograph the merch and send Blake on her way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, actually I was wondering if I could ask you something about your piece if that’s okay.” Blake pursed her lips, the moment of truth suddenly before her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course! Though it’ll have to be a quick one, got lots of people to get through y’know?” Chuckling softly, Yang stood and gave Blake a once over with a curious brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course! Umm, I was just wondering… Why is the dragon in your song so… sad?” Blake nervously managed to get her question out, and as she gazed into the lilac eyes of the woman before her, she could see her smile fade for only a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-” Yang had been caught entirely off guard by the question, but something in her expression answered at least one of Blake’s many questions. At the very least, she knew she hadn’t imagined it. “I suppose it’s all up to how one inteprets the music. Everyone sees the dragon from a different perspective, and I guess for you something about the music felt sad. I’ll admit though, that’s a new one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pausing for a moment longer, Yang turned from Blake to whisper something into the ear of one of her escorts. Whispering to the tall man with finely combed blonde hair and black shades, he seemed somewhat surprised by whatever it was she whispered to him, and he lay his eyes briefly on Blake before dismissing himself through a door behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, anyways, thank you so much again for attending…” All at once Yang’s expression had returned to the bright and smiling one she’d been wearing up until that moment. With a sparkling grin, she kneeled back down with marker in hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blake.” With a soft smile, Blake wondered if she’d outstayed her welcome, and watched as Yang quickly scribbled </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘To Blake, From Yang, Thank You For Listening!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the upper corner of the shirt. Sliding a copy of her own personal CD on top of the shirt, Yang handed the merchandise across to Blake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well Blake, thank you again for coming out! I hope you’ll come see me again!” With a final nod, Yang turned her attention from Blake to the next person in line behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Blake walked away, she couldn’t help but feel slightly unsatisfied. Part of her question had been answered, that the dragon in the story was </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> sad on its journey, but she still didn’t exactly have the why. She knew she shouldn’t have expected much, that to try and pry the hidden meaning of a song from the song’s writer during a small meet and greet was hardly the time or place, but what other opportunity would she have to get her answer outside somehow bumping into Yang outside of her concerts?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While lost in thought Blake found herself suddenly about to bump into a man standing before her. Eyes wide she stopped herself just short, and as she went to apologize she looked up to realize it was the same man that had been standing behind the table with Yang. Her eyes went wide, suddenly wondering if she’d overstepped some sort of boundary and was about to be thrown out, when instead she found him gesturing with a stern expression towards a door to the back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- Did I do something?” Trying not to cause a scene, Blake squeezed tightly to the merchandise in her hands, though the man merely shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss Xiao Long has requested your presence in her personal dressing room. You are not </span>
  <em>
    <span>forced</span>
  </em>
  <span> to go, and it will likely be a lengthy wait before she herself arrives if you do, but she asked me to extend the invitation before you left.” With the shades over his eyes, it was hard for Blake to get a read on the man, but looking back to Yang who had returned to her automated pattern of answering questions and signing merchandise she was once again overwhelmed by her own curiosity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well.” Giving a firm and confident nod to the man, remembering that she was amongst higher class individuals and could at the very least show a little backbone, Blake stood upright and did her best to look dignified as the man began to lead her through the crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The side halls of the building had been entirely blocked off, with security, stage hands, and exhausted members of the opera scattered throughout. Eyes constantly made their way to her, people briefly giving her a curious once over, and in her nervous state she found her eyes fixated on the back of her escorts shoes as they made their way further and further back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, make yourself at home. There’s water in the mini fridge and fruit free for the taking, so don’t hesitate. I’ll be outside the door if you need anything.” A door to a rather lavish room opened before her, with a tall makeup mirror and dresser coated in beauty products taking up the bulk. There was a rather fancy chaise lounge stretching the wall opposite the dresser, a minifridge on one end and a small table with seating and a bowl of fruit at the other. A wardrobe filled with beautiful dresses - primarily golden in color - was open wide, the interior sparkling even with minimal lighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Bowing her head politely as the man shut the door behind her, the effort Blake had been putting into remaining upright and dignified faded away in an instant. With shaky legs she made her way to the couch and, despite the undoubtedly expensive nature of it, Blake couldn’t help but collapse across it. Wasting no time, she pulled the heels from her sore ankles, and took a few moments to try and prepare herself for what might come next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While she’d been initially disappointed in the slightly less than satisfying answer to her question, Blake hadn’t imagined her curiosity would lead her here. Suddenly realizing that any moment now she would be face to face with Yang Xiao Long, her mouth began to feel dry as she wondered what sort of conversation they’d have.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing, Blake crossed the room to grab a bottle of water, not hesitating to quickly gulp it down. It helped less than she’d hoped, but at the very least it helped keep her mind occupied if only for a minute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, as the minutes began to tick by, anxiety surprisingly turned to boredom. While the security guard outside the room </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> told her it might be a while, she never imagined she’d get to the point where she was attempting to identify shapes in the holes of the ceiling tiles like one would do with a cloud. By this point Blake had already gently perused the dresses, glanced over the beauty supplies to check the brands, and even checked herself over in the mirror a few times before finding herself with nothing else to do. She was laying across the lounge, able to properly appreciate its comfort, when the handle to the door began to turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately sitting up, adjusting her dress to make sure she still looked proper, Blake’s eyes locked onto Yang as she entered the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The smile that had no doubt worn down her cheeks was gone, and at first Yang didn’t even look her way as she opened the fridge to chug down her own bottle of water, letting out a satisfied sigh as she screwed the cap back on and set it down. Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, Yang removed a pair of golden earrings, settling them gently on the dresser before finally turning to Blake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So. Sad dragon eh?” Tilting her head, her eyes scanned over Blake with a raised brow. Her speech was surprisingly informal, something Blake hadn’t expected given the crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- Yes, that was the impression I got.” Coughing nervously, Blake pursed her lips as her hands squeezed tightly in her lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the first person to use that word to describe </span>
  <em>
    <span>Journey of the Dragon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, did you know that? Dozens, maybe </span>
  <em>
    <span>hundreds</span>
  </em>
  <span> of people have critiqued and described that piece, and of all the words they’ve used, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad</span>
  </em>
  <span> had never come up once.” Yang’s lips were thin, and Blake wondered if she’d misjudged her initial reaction. Based on what she was seeing now, she worried that instead of surprising the woman she’d instead merely offended her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry if-” Realizing her mistake, Blake stood to apologize, when Yang suddenly began to smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be honest, I was worried nobody would ever realize it. As a songwriter I always put my heart and soul into my music, and if the emotions I’m trying to convey aren’t coming across properly, well…” Trailing off, Yang shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Admittedly I never noticed until I heard it live.” Nervously squirming in her seat, Blake admitted that up until now she’d never heard the sadness either. “Something about hearing the piece in person though, I don’t know how to describe it, but the tale I was so used to hearing suddenly changed. I could hear, practically </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> a whole side to the dragon I’d never seen before. A side of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake’s eyes met Yang’s, the pair sharing in a moment of silence, before Yang took a heavy breath and crossed towards Blake. She sat on the lounge, patting gently for Blake to resume sitting, and leaned back to stare upwards at the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, tell me about this side you saw. What’s the real </span>
  <em>
    <span>Journey of the Dragon</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” With an amused expression, Yang tilted her head towards Blake, still resting it gently on the back cushions of the lounge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think it was far from what the critics say. It’s a journey of dedication, I think they were right about that part. Your path to the fame you’ve achieved feels like the core, but it's the little details about your past that I think everyone missed. Hearing it live, I couldn’t help but feel like the dragon was lonely, that it wasn’t just moving forward into a better future, but that it was leaving behind a sorrowful past.” Blake hesitated frequently as she closed her eyes and did her best to imagine the true path the dragon in the music took. As she replayed the music in her head, each note long committed to memory, it felt as if another tear threatened to trickle down your cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ding ding.” The sudden noises Yang made snapped Blake from her trance, Blake managing to hold back the tear, and Yang once more began staring at the ceiling. “It’s refreshing, actually it's a huge relief, to know that at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> person out there understood the meaning of the song. It means I achieved the goal I set out to reach when I started working on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang seemed suddenly relaxed, the smile across her face genuine, far from the mechanical expression she’d been wearing earlier in the evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t mind me asking, what past is the dragon leaving behind?” As her comfort levels steadily increased, Blake could feel her curiosity once more growing as well. The anxiety of meeting such a famous person in a place she’d never been to before had started to fade, and to her surprise it was beginning to feel like a regular conversation between two regular people.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I never lied when I said my biggest source of inspiration was my family, but that doesn’t always mean they were a </span>
  <em>
    <span>positive</span>
  </em>
  <span> source. Not entirely anyways.” Continuing her gaze at the ceiling, Yang’s satisfied smile began to fade once more. “My mother left when I was young. It’s complicated, and to this day I don’t know all the details, but in essence my father and I were abandoned. He remarried some time later, a time when I was able to understand better, and I was blessed with a little sister. To me, this new woman in my life was more than a stepmom, and she taught me everything from my first piano lessons to how to be a big sis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She sounds amazing…” Blake wasn’t sure what to do in that moment, unsure of what comfort she could provide Yang as she let loose the emotions of her song.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was, she really was.” A brief smile had formed on Yang’s lips, memories of a happier time, before the smile fell as quickly as it had formed. “And then I lost her too. At the very least, with my biological mother, she’s still out there somewhere. My </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> mother, however, was gone forever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang let out a lengthy sigh, shaking her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Journey of the Dragon</span>
  </em>
  <span> is my way of moving on. To repay those first piano lessons my mother gave me when I was a child, to let her know that I still love her and think about her, but that I’m not going to end up trapped in the past. People are right when they say it’s a journey of dedication and perseverance, but it's also a goodbye to the girl I used to be.” A tear had managed to slip down Yang’s cheek, the girl sniffling and shaking her head a little as she realized how much she’d just unloaded on a total stranger. “Sorry about this, totally ruining the whole backstage experience aren’t I?’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, no, it’s fine! Honestly, I’m sorry if I pushed you into sharing more than you intended, though I can’t tell you how thankful I am to be able to hear the true story behind the song.” Doing her best to provide a comforting smile, Blake watched as Yang composed herself with a nod before the door to the dressing room cracked open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me, Miss Xiao Long?” The blonde security guard that had escorted Blake back stepped inside, looking between the two of them before fixing his gaze on Yang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your car has pulled up behind the building and is ready to take you back to your hotel for the evening. Whenever you’re ready, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bowing his head politely, the man closed the door behind him, leaving the two alone in a calm silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I should be going then…” Nervously, Blake stood, feeling that with her questions answered she should likely be on her way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I mean, yeah I guess. Sorry if I kept you waiting for too long, the line was </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretty</span>
  </em>
  <span> long tonight.” As Blake slid on her heels, Yang stood beside her, walking her to the door and opening it slowly. “I want to thank you again, not just for being a fan, but for seeing the true story behind </span>
  <em>
    <span>Journey of the Dragon</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I don’t think I can ever express the amount of gratitude I feel knowing there’s someone out there that just </span>
  <em>
    <span>gets it</span>
  </em>
  <span> y’know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course! I’m just glad I could help. To be honest when I was in line I worried I’d just imagined the whole thing, but something told me to stick through it and find out the answer for sure.” As Blake stepped into the hallway, Yang shut the door behind the pair and glanced in the direction of her security guard waiting at the end opposite the path to the entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m glad you did.” Turning back to Blake, still smiling, Yang pursed her lips in contemplation. “Is there anything I can get you for your time? I feel like I owe you, so don’t hesitate to ask before you go. Can I get you more tickets maybe? Some more shirts or CDs? Seriously, we have </span>
  <em>
    <span>boxes</span>
  </em>
  <span> of them, so I don’t even care if you sell them all off or just give them away at this point!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuckling to herself, Yang watched as Blake seemed to think over her offer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I think I’m good on merch for now.” Lifting the signed shirt and CD resting in her arm, Blake hesitated as her eyes began to wander. “Though, there is one thing…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shoot.” Yang followed Blake’s curious gaze, wondering if a poster or some piece of merchandise in the hall had caught her eye, when instead Blake’s eyes made their way back to Yang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you… maybe… want to get a drink with me?” With a nervous smile, biting her lip, Blake watched as she once more caught Yang Xiao Long entirely off guard. “I mean, I totally get if you have a policy or something. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> still just a fan and all, but I figure I’ve come this far, so why not give it a shot?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yang’s expression of shock turned to one of laughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I did say </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> now didn’t I?” As her laughter subsided, Yang gave Blake another once over, admiring her beauty. Through the conversation they’d been having it had become difficult for Yang to remain detached from Blake as she did most of her fans, having opened up the way she did it felt like their connection had moved on beyond simple strangers. “You know what, what the hell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” It was Blake’s turn to be surprised, having been about to settle for merely asking for more tickets in hopes to see Yang again at her next show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, why not? It’s been a while since I was able to just relax and go out with someone, it’ll be a good change of pace. I mean we’re both already all gussied up, might as well make the most of it right?” Yang’s enthusiasm in going out for drinks filled Blake with a surprising warmth. Emotions she hadn’t realized had begun to grow filled her thoughts, and her cheeks blushed as she smiled in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s true, but do you mind if I get a change of shoes out of my car before we go anywhere? I’m not exactly big into heels…” Glancing down at her feet, Blake could already feel the soreness in her ankles steadily returning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can, but you could also just take them off in my car. I wouldn’t mind, I’ll be doing the same thing.” Yang shrugged her shoulders, turning back to the patiently waiting security guard at the end of the hall and giving him a wave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But, if we’re going out to a bar…” Frowning slightly, not wanting to turn her shoe situation into a disagreement, Blake watched as Yang shook her head with a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, let me show you something I think you’ll like.” With her own curious brow, Blake merely nodded, and followed after Yang as she led them out the back exit along with her security.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was impossible for Blake’s jaw not to drop as they stepped into the gated parking lot in the rear of the building. In the time she’d been waiting nearly all the vehicles of the numerous members of the performance had left, and all that remained was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>stretched</span>
  </em>
  <span> limousine. Yang wasted no time pulling Blake towards the door at the far back of the vehicle, her security guard opening it for the girls as they slipped inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lights lit the interior of the vehicle up, the cushy seats comfortable enough to sleep on, and a sizable bar lining the wall behind the driver’s seat. Blake’s eyebrows both went up in surprise at the variety of drinks available, and Yang quickly reached towards a bottle of wine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was saving this…” Grunting to herself as she hunched down inside the limo, grabbing a pair of glasses for the two of them, Yang plopped down beside Blake as the car closed behind them and moments later the engine revved to life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking no time in removing her heels, understanding in that moment that </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> is where they’d be having that drink, Blake happily accepted her glass as Yang began to twist a winged corkscrew down into the bottle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you want to open it </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Blake suddenly felt like she was imposing somehow. If Yang had been saving what she assumed to be some sort’ve aged and fine wine, she hardly felt worthy of such a gesture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, why not?” With a grunt, squeezing down on the levers of the corkscrew, the cork came free and a fruity aroma filled the space. Yang paused, setting the device aside, and glanced over the label of the bottle. “I think I got this at the grocery store like, a month ago?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A laugh escaped Blake’s lips, and she immediately tried to hide it as Yang gave her a sideways look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, part of me assumed that when you mentioned saving it that it might hold some long term sentimental value. A month is, well…” With reddened cheeks, hoping she hadn’t offended Yang with her reaction, she watched as Yang too let out a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be honest I don’t know the first thing about wine other than I like a good red one. All that jazz about ‘earthy tones’ and aging it for 20 years, I don’t even pretend to understand what </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> all about. I mostly bought this as a joke when the first reviews came out for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Journey of the Dragon</span>
  </em>
  <span> and I realized nobody seemed to really </span>
  <em>
    <span>get</span>
  </em>
  <span> what I was going for. I figured it’d be a fun little memento to open some 20 years down the line when some deep dive analysis ‘reveals the secret’ or something, but surprise surprise.” Grinning ear to ear, Yang did her best to pour each of them a glass of wine as smoothly as possible despite the movements of the vehicle around them. “Thinking about it now, I’m happy I get to open it sooner rather than later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To letting go of the past and moving onto a better future!” Corking the bottle enough the liquid wouldn’t risk sloshing out as the car drove them through the city, Yang slid it into a slot on the bar, turning to raise her glass to Blake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And to a lonely dragon who doesn’t need to feel lonely anymore.” Looking to Yang, Blake watched as the girl listened to her toast, and with a smile gave her a soft nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hear, hear!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In unison the pair each tipped back their glasses, letting the ‘earthy’ tones of the wine wash over their tongues, before finding themselves once more lost in conversation as their limo continued to drive peacefully into the night.</span>
</p>
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